Broncos at Jaguars Odds


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The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Denver Broncos face off September 12th at 1pm EST, CBS will show the game played at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. The last time the teams met in 2008, Jacksonville won 24-17 at Invesco Field. This matchup is sure to be one of the more interesting ones rounding out Week 1 of the season, and the NFL odds show the Jags -2 ½  over the Raiders with a total set of 45 points. If you are going to wager on this game, then be sure to do it at BetUS.

The Broncos started last season strong under first year Coach Josh McDaniels before a late season collapse saw them finish in 2nd place in the AFC West with an 8-8 record. Consistency and focus will be the key to 2010 and the pieces are in place for a deep run.

Quarterback Kyle Orton is steady if not spectacular and continues to be respected for his knowledge of the playbook and quick thinking. His preseason looked good and this year he should be a touch above last year, making for a potent part of the offense. Brady Quinn looks good in technique, but has yet to show a big game prowess, so despite Tebow’s struggles, he is next in line should a breakdown occur.

Brandon Marshall may be gone, but the depth at receiving as well as the tight end position will make many teams envious. Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Jabar Gaffney, and Eddie Royal are a lock, with Brandon Stokley and Matt Willis the options at wide receiver. Willis had a great preseason and is versatile; he may have beaten old-reliable Stokely for the job. The group has the potential to be a top ten passing attack.

The running attack for the Broncos has some questions, but Knowshon Moreno looks to be fully healthy. If all goes well, he should post his first 1,000 yard season as a Bronco. Correll Buckhalter and Peyton Hillis are the other go to RB’s, and if all are healthy it will be a solid group.

The Denver O-line was overhauled after an injury riddled 2009. Rookies will play a role until Ryan Clady and Chris Kuper return. If they can double-team big playmakers well, they should provide adequate protection.

The defensive line was a weak spot for the Broncos last season and a few offseason acquisitions will bolster the group. All-Pro NT Jamal Williams is the most notable, and the team will rotate a big group to keep everyone fresh. That will be a key, as the line is aging, but did a good job of penetrating and preventing the run a season ago.

Jamal Williams is the anchor for what should be a dominating group of linebackers. Robert Ayers and Jarivs Moss will be the headliners on pass rush. Both have shown the ability to break through and find the QB.

The Broncos secondary is a rock, and may be the best backfield ever with Pro Bowler Champ Bailey and Perrish Cox. Renaldo Hill is versatile; he recorded two sacks and two interceptions last year.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars collapsed late in 2009 to finish 7-9. Owner Wayne Weaver has issued the call to coach Jack Del Rio to provide more wins this season, and expects a playoff berth.

David Garrard is the QB by default, but no one has been impressed by his play the last few seasons. He admits feeling the heat to perform, and needs to decrease his interceptions to help the offense.  Backup Luke McCown will get a look if Garrard starts slow, but he doesn’t have the skills of a starter.

The ground assault is one of the few strong points for the Jaguars, led by Pro Bowler Maurice Jones-Drew. He rushed for nearly 1,400 yards and scored 16 touchdowns in 2009. Rashad Jennings struggled early, but found his groove late and finished on a strong note. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry on 39 attempts last season. The backfield rounds out with fullback Greg Jones, who doesn’t do much to bolster the run by carrying the ball, but is a strong lead blocker.

The Jacksonville receiving corps has been injury prone and need to stay healthy above all else. Troy Williamson is quick and looks to prove himself after injuries last season. Second-year receiver Mike Thomas is a real threat and will get plenty of chances to prove it. Tight end Marcedes Lewis is underrated and has proven to be a great clubhouse presence. He has worked hard and may be primed for a breakout in 2010.

Tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton lead the offensive line. They had to learn on the job last year as rookies and while they did struggle at times, they didn’t embarrass themselves. More can be expected from them this year. Guard Uche Nwaneri will team with center Brad Meester to round out the big uglies.

Defensively, the pass rush was dismal for the Jags, and will likely continue to be this year. The defensive line was terrible and there’s not much new blood in the starting lineup this year to prevent a repeat. Jacksonville posted the fifth-worst sack total in NFL history in 2009, and looks to return to fundamentals to find a way out of its woes.

Jacksonville used their first four picks in the draft on defensive linemen, including their first pick on defensive tackle Tyson Alualu from California, who should start. This team has a long way to go after back to back last place finishes. Expect Del Rio to mix and match players on both sides of the ball to try to salvage his job. Unless he can find magic in a bottle, the Jaguars have a long season ahead of them.

Matt’s Free Prediction: Denver Broncos +2 ½ – The Broncos should take this one pretty easily against a weaker Jags D. While it won’t be a blowout, the Broncos should cover the spread. Denver has made the changes necessary to improve on last year’s problem spots, while Jacksonville’s piece-together approach will show many weak spots. The only real threat for the Jags will Jones-Drew, but the Denver run-stoppers should be able to limit the damage.

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